Slitting machine



Feb. 24,1931. E. B. STIMPSON 1,793,645

SLITTIPIG MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 25, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wil il l l glfllllllllll 1 I I v? If w l avwanboz Feb. 24, 1931. I s ps 1,793,646

SLITTING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 25, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 24, 1931. E. B. STIMPSON 793,646

SLIT'IING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 25, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. B. STIMPSON 1,793,646

SLITTING MACHINE Feb. 24, 1931.

Original Filed Oct. 25, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 :Batentecl Feb. 24, 1931 stares fe i EDWIN B. srnvrrson. or BROOiLYh-I, new YORK, essienon To ,EnwIivB. STIMPSON co1vr1 anY,- orenoo rtyn, new YORK strrrrne insomnia Application filed camel-e5, 1921Qs'eria1 nati'onee. Renewed March 18, 1927. 1

" Thisinventionrelates to cutting or slit-I ting machines, and is adapted to, cut'slits in the lower ends of the shanks of rivets. Such sli ted rivets find their chief use as fastening 'iembers, but the uses to which they may e applied are numerous and varied. lt'is ighly desirable that they .be manufactured 'apidly and at the smallest possible cost. The resent invention comprises a. machine for ectively-carrying out these'objects. Another object of this invention is theprovision of means whereby the entire operations of feeding the rivets, positioning them properly for outting, slitting the rivets, and dis- "-15 charging them from the machine are performed automatically. I

Gther objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the machine ing the subject of this invention. I

Fig. 2 is a front view of the machineas shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan View. .2 i Fig;

detail of the means for inserting the rivets in position in the rivet-holder.'- V f Fig. 5 is a side view of the device shown in Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of themachine, hori- .formof the rivet feeding and positioning means. Fig; 7 is an'enlarged detail'of one of the means for holding the rivets in position while *beingcut.

Fig. 8 isv an enlarged detail showingthe means for discharging the cut rivets. Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the rivetholder. i

Fig. 10 shows-av front and a plan view of the cutting meansf' Fig. 11 is an enlarged plan view of the' rivet-holder. i r Fig. 12 isan enlarged front view of the rivet holder. y

Referring to the drawings the machine comprises a supporting frameworlrl having .a bed-plate 2, the entire operating mechanism being supported upon said frameworkl and bedplate.- The operating mechanism in:

, erate therein.

dis a front view showing an'enlarge d driving-mechanismsfor the foregoing means. I.

The means for cutting or slitting the rivets comprises a cutting member 5, fixed torotat- :ing disk 6,and operating in a slot 7 formed ,in a guide-block 8. Said guide-block is slid ablymounted upon the bed-plate -and.;is nor- :mally pressed inwardly by aspringlO fixed at one end to'the supporting frame at ll and at theother end to the block as at 1 2. Said block is embeddedinthe bed-plate and-is held and the bed-plate are cut outas at 14 see Fig. 9) .to permit the rotarycutting member to o'p- The guide-block, being pressed inwardly,-

abuts against a rivet in a rivet-holder-15 to.

hold said rivet in position whi e the cutting member operating in the guide slot cutsits way into the rivet. Said rivet-holder is preferably in the form of a wheel having a plu .ralityo'f rivet-holding grooves in its periphery, and has formed integral therewith a shank 16 operating-in a'vertical bearingmemholder maybe rotated to bring the "rivet-holdinggrooves successively into cutting position. *zont-ally sectioned, and showing the operation For feeding-the rivetsinto the rivet-holding grooves, there may be provided an inclined chuteQO into which the rivets areffed 1 so that theyoare suspended by the heads of the.

23 fixed upon thebedeplateconcentric with.

- ber l? fixed to the bed-plate, so that said rivet- V v rivet-holder 15 to prevent outward movement of therivets from said. grooves. The rivet may be supportedby its head resting upon the end of block 23 in front of the plunger.

, As therivet-holder is'rotated to bring a new rivet intocutting'position, the'plunger 22 is passes said plunger as the holderrotates. The rivet having been-forcedinto the r vet h'oldoperatedlinwardly tolforoe the rivetin'front' 'of'it into that K lVGt hOlChIIIQj groove; which ing groove, it is supported by means of its head resting upon the upper surface of the holder 15. The plunger is withdrawn, and

the newly-inserted rivet passes in front of the,

member 23 which holds it against outward movement until the rivet reaches the cutting position-. In this manner, as the cutting of each rivet is completed, the holder is rotated to bring the next rivet into cutting position, and another rivet is inserted into the holder as the latter rotates to the new position.

As the rivet comes into cutting position it is no longer held by block 23, but is pressed firmly into its groove by the guide-block 8. The cutting member operating in the slit 7 cuts its way intothelower end of the rivetshank, the rivet-holder 151 being provided with a segmental slit"2 l at the rear of'each groove to permit the rotary cutting member to operate therein. To holdthe rivet against upward movement as the cutting member 'works its'way upwardly into the rivet shank,

there may be provided a lever 25 pivoted on the supporting frame and havingone end 26 pressed downwardly upon the headof the rivet in cutting position by a spring 27 fixed at one end to the lever and at'the other end to the supporing frame. The pressure of'le'verfiend 26 upon the rivet heads may be limited by a stop 43 fixed to the supporting frame.

7 It is desirable for most purposes that the slit formed in the rivet shank be wedge-shaped, wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. For this purpose the cutting member 5 is preferably in the form of a blade having sawteeth on its periphery, periphery being in theform of a cam of increasing radius, and the width of the teeth decreasing as the radius increases. In this manner the thick end 28 of the blade, having the shorter radius, will cut a relatively wide slit at the bottom of the rivet slianlnbut as the cam works itsf way up into the shank due to'the increasingradius thereof, the slit-will be extended upwardly into the shank but will decreasein thickness corresponding to the decrease in thickness of the blade toward the end 29. The slit will 'thusbe wedge-shaped as shown inthe rivets-in Figs. 7 and8. V It is necessary nism to operate the machine automatically,

and to so synchronize the driving mechanism ,-that the rivet-holder will begin moving to a new position to bring the next rivet into cutting position after] the end 29 of the cutting member-has passed through a rivet, that the movement of the rivet-holdershall be com .pleted before the end 28 of the'cutting member comes to efiective'cutting position, and that plunger 22 shall be operated while the rivet-holder is moving to its new position and when a groove is opposite the-plunger. For

this purpose there is proyideddriving means WhIQhIiIEI y comprise a pulley 4E4 driven 1n the ordinary manner by a belt-from any suitable to provide drivingmecha- -ofthe cutting member.

move out of cutting positlonthey are again source, said motion being transmitted to the cuttlng means through a suitable drivlng connection such as gears 31 and 32, the latter being connected to a shaft 30 upon which the cutting means is mounted; The motion of the pulley may be further transmitted to'operate the rivet-holder through a connection which may comprise gearing 33 and 34:, driven from 7 gears 31 and 32, and .a shaft 35 fixed to one of the gears such as 34 and supported upon the supporting frame preferably in brackets 36, 37. Said shaft 35 carries a worm 381which meshes with a gear 39 fixed to the upper end of the rivet-holding shank 16 preferably by a nut 40 screw-threaded thereon. The worm 38has a traight portion 41' see Fig. 3) ,and

:positioned that it meshes with gear 39 after 7 the end 29 of the cutting member has passed through the rivet in cutting position, and is so formed that it completes the rotation of said holder before the end 28 of the'cutting member comes into effectivecu'tting position. The

straight portion 41of the worm is, of course, in mesh with gear 39 while the cutting memberis passing through the rivet in cutting positiOn. V.

To operate theplunger 22 there is provided uponshaft 35 a cam 45 preferably on the face of a disc 46 fixed to the shaft, said cam enonearm 4-7 ofa lever 41-8 mounted upon the supporting frame, preferably in a bracket 50, the other arm 5l of said lever being connected'to said plunger-22. Said cam is so positioned that plunger 22 is operated inwardly while the twisted portion 42 is in mesh with gear 39 and is rotating the rivetholder, and the relative positioning is accurately adjusted so that the plunger will opcrate inwardly exactly when a rivet-holding groove is in front of it. Suitable means may be provided for returning the lever and the plunger to their original outward; positions when the end 47 is out of engagement with the 62111145., i

Thus the movements of the rivet-holder and the means for positioning rivets in the holder are synchronized with the movements held between member '23 and the rivetholder, but they soon pass beyond the end of said member and are'swept outaof the rivet-holding 'groovesby a guard fixed; preferably .upon the bearing 17 and closely adjacent the top of the rivet-holder 15 so that the heads'of the rivets abut thereagainst. "The guard is so positioned as to force the rivets outwardly upon movement of'the rivet-holder. The slit f When the rivets" rivets may be collected'by any suitable means disposed'below guard 55.

The above descriptionrepresents the preferred embodiment of mylinvention, but it 7 will be understood thatchangesmay be made within the scope of the appended claims.

lVh-at I claim is:

1. A rivet-cutting machine comprising periodically-operating cutting means for slitting a rivet at the free end of its shank, a rotary-rivet holder for feeding the rivets successively to cutting position, means for intermittently rotating said rivet-holder between periods of operat on or" said cutting meansto bring successive rivet-shanks into cutting position, said rivet-holder including means for suspending the rivet at said .posi- 4 tion by underlying the head of the rivet, and a device movable relative to the suspending means and operating to bear down on the head of the rivet whenthe rivet-shank reaches cutting position to prevent movement of the rivet axially of its shank away from the cutting meansduring the cutting operation. 7

2. A rivet-cutting machine comprising periodically-operating cutting means for slitting a rivet .at the free end of the shank,' .a rtary rivet-holder for feeding the rivets successively to cutting position, meansfor intermittently rotating said rivet-holder between periods of operation ofsaid .cuttlng' means to bring successive rivet-shanks into cutting position, said holder being adapted to have a plurality of rivetsmounted at its periphery nieans adjacent said periphery for holding said rlvets aga nst outward movement in saidholder, and means including a pivoted member for bearing down on the head of the rivet when the rivet reaches cutting position to hold said rivet against upward movement in said holder.

3. A rivet-cutting ,machine ,comprising cutting means, a rotary rivet-holder for it'eeding the rivets successively to cutting position, said holder being adapted to have a plurality of rivets mounted in its periphery,means v adjacent said periphery for holding said r1vets against outwardmovement 1n said holder before said rivets-re'achthe cutting position and after saidrivets leave said position, and

a plunger for pressi-ng'against said rivets when in cutting position to hold said rivets against outward movement in-said holder, anda lever having endpressure against the head of the rivet to hold the same against upward movement when in. cutting position. 4. Arivetcuttmg machine comprising pe- "riodically operated cutting means, a periodically operated rivet;holder for feeding the rivets successfully to cutting position, between the cutting periods of the cutting means said cuttim means operating upwardly from thebottom of the rivet, means for holding said rivets against outward movem ntv enin nth se 1 0 1 a ean holder. t a v v '7. A rivet-cutting machlne .COII1] 3I'lS1I1g rotarycutting means adapted to cut periodi of said cutting means. I V I I A rivet-cutting 3 machine -comprising' for holding said-rivets against upward movement when'incutting position.

5. A rivet-cutting machine comprising cnttingmeans, a rivet-holder for feeding the rivets successively to cutting position, said cutting means operatingupward-ly from the" lfottomoi the rivet,a spring-pressed plunger for holding said rivets against outward movement when in cuttingposition, anda spring- 1 pressed leverfor holding said rivets against upward movement when in cuttingposition.

1: 6. Arivet=cuttingmachine comprising-periodieally operated cutting means, an intermittently operated rotaryrivet-holder having grooves in its periphery in which the riv ets are carried, the heads of said r vets projecting above the rivetholder, said rivetholder being rotated to bring the rivets successively into cutting position, means for B holder whichis being fed-to the cu'ttingposupplying rivets-t0 the portion ofthe rivetsition, and means for disengaging the rivets? from said holder after the rivets have passed the cutting position, said last-'na'medmeans j comprising a relatively fixed guard posi t oned above andadgacent CQStLlCl holder and engaging the headset said rivets as thehold er rotates to disengage the rivets fromflthe sally, a rotary rivet-holder having an intermittent movement for feeding ;the rivets successively tot-he. cutting position,-- aguide for holding the rivet while'in' cutting-position rotary cutting member operates.

p rom outward movement ln sald holder, said 7 7 guide having a slit therein inwhich said 8. A rivet-cutting machine comprising' rotary, periodically-operating cutting means, a rotary rivet-holderi for feeding "the rivets successivelyfto cutting position, means for rotating said cutting means, a drivingconnection between said rotating means and v said rivet -holder wherebyfsaid 'rotating means rotatesflalsosaid holder, said connection comprising means whereby-said holder isro'tate'd' only'betwe'en periods of operation rotary, periodically-operatingcutting means,

a rotary rivet-holder 'i 'or feeding the rivetssuccessively to cutting position,meansfor rotatmg said cutting means, a dr ving-con;

portion'oif the worm is efiective-to rotate said gear and holder beween periodsof operation of sa d cutting means.

105A" rivet-cutting machine comprising periodically operated cutting means, a rotary rivet-holder for feeding the rivets successively-to cutting position, rivet-supply means,

"means-for positioning the rivets from said supply means 1n said holder, meanstor pe- ,riodically rotating said holder to brlng successive rivets to-cutting position, and means synchronized with said rotating means for operating said rivet-positioning means in the periods of rotation'o'f said holder.

11. A rivet-cutting machine comprising cuttingmeans, a rotary rivet-holder for feeding the rivets succcssivelyto cutting posit-ion, rivet-supply means, means for positloning the rivets from said supply means in said holder,

saidpositionin means comprising a plunger, means for periodically rotating said holder to bring successive rivets tocutting posito engage'said lever ando'perate said plunger in the periods of IOtZLtlOII Of sa d holder.

' tion,-said rotating means comprising a shaft,

and means for operating said plunger, said last-named means comprising a cam on said shaft, a lever having one end in engagement with said plunger and the other end engageable by said cam, said cam engaging said lever to operatesaid plunger,said cam being so synchronized with said rotating means as v 12. A rivet-cutting machine comprising rotary, per1odically=operat1ngcutting means, a

- rotary rivet-holder for feedingthe rivets successi'vely to cutting position," rivet-supply "means, means for positioning the rivets from said supply means in said holder,'means for rotating said cutting means, means for operating said rivet-positioning means, and means for rotating said holder, th'emeans for operating said riVet pOsitioning"means and the means for rotating saidfholder being syn-.

chronized with the means for rotating said cutting means so that theholderis rotatedbetween periods of operationof said cutting m'eansyand so that said rivet-positioning means is operated when-said-holderis-rotated. f 1 V 13. A r1vet-cutt1ng machine comprising rotary,- periodically-operating cutting means, a rotary r1vet-holder for feeding the rivets successively to cutting position, rivet-supply 'means, means for positioning the rivets from said supply means in said holder, said last-named means comprisinga plunger, means for rotating said cutting. means, a

driving-connection between said rotating means and said'holder whereby said rotating means rotates also said holder, said connectioncomprisinga driving shaft, a gear-wheel movable lntegrally with said holder, and a driving worm having a straight portionwhich has no drivingeflect on the gear and a twlstedjportion which drives the gear'to the next cutting position of the holder, said worm being so synchronized with the'means for rotating the cutting means that the twisted portion of the worm is effective to rotate said gear'and holder. between periods of operation of said cutting means, while the straight portion of the worm meshes with said gear during the operation of said cutting means,

and means for operating said plunger,'said last-named means comprising acam carried by said shaft, a lever having one end mengagement withsaidplunger and the other end engageable by said cam to operate said plunger, said cam being so'synchronized with said holder-rotating meansas to engage said lever while suspending a rivet at its head with its shank depending, means for holding the rivet against lateral movement when it reaches cutting position," and means for holding said rivet against upwardmovement when it reaches said position.

15. A rlvet-cutt ng machine comprising periodic'ally-operating cutting means for slitting a rivet at the free end of its'sha'nk,

a rivet-holder intermittently operated to feed the rivets successively to cutting position, while suspending a rivet at its head with its shank depending, means for holding the rivet against lateral movement "when it 'reaches'cutting position, a device for engaging the head of a rivet'to hold the rivet against upward movement relative to the cutting means during thecutting operation, and means for intermittently operating said device to raise and lower the same in timed relation to the movement of said rivet holder.

'16; A rotary cutting-machine comprising means for-holding arivet' at the cutting p0 sition, a rotary rivet-slitting means, means for-gu dlng a line of rivets toward sa d slitting means, means for transferring said rivets one by one from said line, means for guiding the transferred rlvetsoina' linefurther' toward sa1d slltting means, means continuously rotating said slitting means, and meanssynchromzed w th said rotatmg means for periodically operating said transferring means; a a a 17, A rotary cutting-macln'ne comprising means for holding alrivet at-the cutting position, a; rotary rivet-slitting means, said slittlng means carrying'a cutting blade forming only a part of its periphery so that 'on'each revolution of the slitting means there is alternately a period of effectiveness and.;inef-.

fectiveness of said slitting means at 'saidposition, means for guiding a lineofrivets toward said p0s1t1on,'-means for transferring said rivets one by one from said line, means for further transporting said rivets toward the cutting position, means for continuously rotating said slitting means, and means synchronized with said rotating means for actuating said transferring means when said blade is in a predetermined position relative to the cutting position.

18. A rotary cutting-machine comprising i means for holding a rivet at the cutting po- V sition, a rotary rivet slitting means, said slitting means carrying a cutting blade forming only a part of its periphery so that on each revolution of the slitting means there .is a1-v ternately a period of eifectiveness and ineffectiveness of said slitting means at said porsition, means for guiding a line of rivets 7 toward said position, intermittently operating means for transferring said rivets from said line, means for further advancing, said rivets toward the cutting position, means for continuously rotating ,said' slitting means,

and means synchronized with said rotating means for operating the transferring means intermittently.

19. A rotary cutting-machine comprising means for holding a rlvet at the cutting po sition, a rotary rivet slitting means, said slitting means carrying a cutting blade forming only a part of its periphery so that on each revolution of the slitting means there is alternately a period-of effectiveness and ineffectiveness of said slitting means at said position, means for guiding a line of rivets to- 7 Ward said position, intermittently operating means for transferring said rivets from said line, intermittently operating means for transporting said rivets toward the cutting position, means for continuously operatin said slitting means, means for actuating sai transferring means when said blade'is in a predetermined position relative to the cut ting position, and means for actuating said transporting means when the blade isin a predetermined position relative to the cut- 7 ting position.

EDWIN B. STIMPSON. 

